Hip-hop fans to get Guitar Hero-style game

10th Oct 2008 | 11:44

Numark to provide hardware controller

Activision's range of Guitar Hero titles has made music-orientated video games big business, and now Genco Interactive and 7 Studios are set to expand the genre's horizons with the launch of Scratch: The Ultimate DJ.

This is billed as a hip-hop based rhythm game that, like Guitar Hero, will come with a dedicated hardware controller. In this case, it's a turntable-style device that's being designed by DJing veterans Numark, lending the project a degree of credibility.

The developers are promising that Scratch: The Ultimate DJ will feature music from "the biggest names in hip-hop". Indeed, there's speculation that tracks from Tupac, LL Cool J and Ice Cube will all be included.

Hip-hop battle

This won't be the first DJing game to come to market – Konami's Beatmania also ships with a turntable peripheral – and it might not be the last, either. Activision trademarked the DJ Hero name earlier this year, fuelling speculation that it'll launch its own mixing/scratching title.

MusicRadar is all in favour of wannabe DJs being given the chance to get their kicks on a games console, but what would be really great is if the skills learnt in Scratch: The Ultimate DJ were translatable to 'proper' DJing software and hardware.